Rapid Fire
Indian Star Tortoise
- 10 Dec 2024
- 1 min read
The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) faces severe threats from habitat loss, illegal trade, and genetic disruption, making its conservation a critical priority.
- Appearance: It has an obsidian shell with striking Sun-yellow star patterns.
- Habitat: It is native to the Indian subcontinent and is found in northwestern India, South India, and Sri Lanka in arid grasslands and savannahs.
- Conservation Status: Listed as Vulnerable under IUCN Red List, Appendix I of CITES.
- Threat: According to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, 90% of the trade of Star Tortoise occurs as part of the international pet market.
- Genetic Study Insights: Researchers identified two distinct groups of Indian star tortoises: Northwestern (genetically stable) and Southern (genetically diverse).
- Microsatellite markers were used to track genetic relationships and population changes.
- Microsatellite markers are short DNA sequences that repeat in a particular location in the genome.
Read More: Indian Star Tortoise
